INTERNATIONAL GROUP OF AWARD WINNING PHOTOGRAPHERS CAME TOGETHER TO EXPOSE THE ILLEGAL WILDLIFE TRADE

People in developed nations are rarely exposed to wildlife or animals beyond domestic pets. This, of course, doesn’t mean that they aren’t around us, but rather that their relative invisibility makes them easy to forget about — out of sight, out of mind. Yet as our demand for land increases, their habitats become increasingly threatened, and now, more than ever, we are seeing them occupy ‘our’ spaces once more because they simply have nowhere else to go. In Toronto there is a raccoon crisis, for example, and in Mumbai, it’s leopards.

Our relationship with animals often falls under two categories: companions or food. With the rise of the internet and the information access it affords us, it’s increasingly difficult to turn a blind eye to the harsh truths that come along with animal agriculture and animal exploitation. We don’t take into consideration the repercussions that come along with destroying or limiting certain species.

It’s sad that we must rely upon government to enforce bills that will ensure that the animals inhabiting these lands remain safe, particularly since the bills themselves are at continual risk. Trump has declined the endangered status protection of another 25 animals, for instance, and Republicans “have designed 135 other legislative amendments in an attempt to either weaken the protection for endangered species protected by the [Endangered Species] Act or dismantle the Act itself.” That’s why it’s so important that we spread awareness, and even better, take action toward stopping these cruel crimes agains animals.

The Photographers Against Wildlife Crime risk their lives to make sure that people get a true depiction of the atrocities that are going on in the world. You can read more about their mission by clicking here.